'Why weren't we told about pervert?'

Stephen Davies, 47, of Gaer Vale, Newport, who had already served a seven-year jail sentence for raping and indecently assaulting one girl and attempting to rape another, was arrested more than three weeks later.

The boy's father said it then came to light his son had been raped three times before the police visit - and was the victim of an attempted rape after it.

Newport crown court heard that the boy told a neighbour Davies had raped and sexually abused him - and the neighbour told the boy's mother, leading to Davies' arrest.

The father of the boy groomed and raped by Davies is now demanding a public inquiry into Gwent Police's handling of the case.

Former KFC worker Davies was jailed indefinitely at Newport crown court earlier this month after pleading guilty to three counts of rape and one attempted rape against the boy, who is under 15.

The victim's distraught parents are now demanding to know why they were not told their son had been seen at the home of a convicted sex offender.

A police spokesman told the Argus: "During a monitoring visit by Gwent Police officers, a child was present at his address."

The boy's father said the youngster told his mother that a 'person' had asked him for his name and address.

But his parents said they were unaware it had been a police officer until told by the Argus.

The father said: "Why weren't we told about the sighting? We could have stopped our boy from going near him.

"Why did it take my son to go to a neighbour and the neighbour to go to his mother? There should be a public inquiry to find answers to these questions."

Police say when the boy was found at Davies' home, they made a referral to Newport social services and increased the level of monitoring.

A police spokesman said: "In light of the fact that the offending against the victim had been taking place for some time, we are satisfied that the intervention by the responsible agencies contributed to the victim's decision to disclose the offences."

The call for a public inquiry comes just days after the family of another victim of sexual abuse threatened to sue Gwent Police.

On Friday, Malcolm Hewitt, a 53-year-old lorry driver from Newport, was found guilty of molesting a girl under six.

The girl's father was stunned to learn that Hewitt held previous convictions for indecent assault and gross indecency on a number of girls.

Both Hewitt and Davies were being monitored by Gwent Police when they carried out their latest attacks.

Davies had been placed on the sex offenders' register for life in 1998.

He was sentenced to seven years in jail. Gwent Probation Service said Davies had been recalled to prison following an early release in 2002 because his behaviour raised concerns that he would re-offend.